The <^Morgan J-forse <^Mogazine A QUARTERLY MAGAZINE Office of Publication SOUTH WOODSTOCK, VERMONT j VOL. II FEBRUARY, MARCH, APRIL, 1943 NO. 3 r CAPTAIN KELLOGG 7647 MORGAN HORSES AT PINE RIDGE INDIAN A RANCH MAN AND A RACING MAN AGENCY Says "Morgans Best General Purpose Mount" This acknowledges your request for information concerning Again the writer was pleased to receive the January issue ot the Morgan horse breeding situation in this area. "The Magazine." though somewhat late in arriving. I like Answering your questions in order, I may say that— the progress the magazine is making since the first published (a) The Pine Ridge Indian Reservation is a Government in­ and note the discussions pro and con on the Thoroughbred vs. stitution maintained by the Federal Government for the benefit Morgan, cross-breds. half-breeds, etc.. as to the best general of the Oglala Sioux Tribe of Indians. (Red Cloud was its fa­ utility horse. I realize that very few horsemen agree on this mous chief.) The horse program was inaugurated for the ex­ subject and the discussion is endless on both sides of the fence. press purpose of improving the quality of Indian horses. The At the Lakeview Ranch near Chambers, Neb., we have had Sioux have always been horse lovers, and this tribe has about at stud for the last six years both Remount Thoroughbreds and a chestnut Morgan stallion "Lebel" No. 7876 sired by Jubilee 10,000 Head of Horses King and greatly resembling Red Vermont shown in your last of various types and breeds. issue. We have a stable of Thoroughbred marcs, and the colts The Percheron horse has had a marked effect on the Indian- carry our colors on the tracks. We have grade range mares owned horses, most of them showing marked Percheron charac­ which raise us one-half Thoroughbreds for the Army, and one- teristics. Some of the Indians have bred the ligher breeds and half Morgans for cow-horses, and we have a few registered Mor­ there is a good deal of Thoroughbred blood evident. gan mares. After careful consideration with the Office of Indian Affairs, First a Pure Bred Morgan—Next a Half Bred Morgan it was decided to make a direct effort to improve the type and quality of the Indian horses, establishing a breed that would be Thus, while breaking the colts and handling them all I have effective in meeting Indian needs. This is a livestock growing drawn my own conclusions which are simply—give me a pure­ country. Indians need their horses for stock purposes to drive bred Morgan and, next a one-half bred Morgan! This year the or ride to town, church and school. writer has been breaking and training a two-year-old Morgan Stallion "Rolind" No. 8377. sired by "Captain Kellogg" No. Morgans Introduced in 1938 7647, for a personal pleasure horse. He has taken readily to In 1938, the decision was made to introduce the Morgan stretching calves, and all cattle handling jobs, doesn't flinch breed of horses into the Pine Ridge reservation. A registered stal­ around gunfire or go crazy driving horses This I cannot say for lion and seven registered mares were purchased under the auspices our one-half Thoroughbreds, they are no pleasure to ride and the of the Oglala Community High School, which is a Government least provocation when working cattle or horses and you've got maintained high school for Indian use. Today the school has a job on your hands to keep them working and tractable. You 22 registered marcs and fillies. 5 mature registered stallions, 3 may get one to where you think you can trust him and working coming two-year old stallions. Three stallions have been placed pretty fair and when you least expect it some day he will go hay­ with Indian groups in addition. wire and refuse to work. This year about 300 head of Indian marcs were bred to the Morgans are not too prevalent in Nebraska yet, but if we and registered Morgan horses in addition to the school herd, which other Nebraska breeders like Glenn Watts, can obtain more prpduced 1 1 colts. registered mares we are going to show the Great Plains area that a Morgan horse is the answer to the search for the general purpose Morgans Most Acceptable mount. The Morgans are so acceptable to the Indian people that they GEORGE S. HOSSACK have virtually crowded out every other breed. Sidney, Nob. (b) The Oglala Community High School herd produced 1 1 Morgan colts this year. About 100 half-Morgan colts were purchased by Indian-owned mares. A MORGAN WANTED (c) Twenty-two registered Morgan mares were bred to the Please find enclosed one dollar for a year's subscription to your registered Morgan stallions during the spring and summer of magazine. I read a sample copy that was sent me and I like 1942. In addition, about 300 Indian-owned mares were bred it very much. to the Morgan stallions. I am interested in getting a Morgan stallion (prelerablv (d) There have been several inquiries bv white breeders in sorrel) to breed to mv draft and saddle mares So it you know the area about registered Morgan stock. The Government, how­ of one that is not too high in price. I would appreciate hearing ever, is not making any particular effort to sell or otherwise en­ from you. Due to the travelling conditions. 1 could not go to gage in commercial handling of Morgans. While a few may be see the animal, so would have to have full description of same. sold, such sales may be only in case other jurisdictions in the with pictures and also an honest seller. Indian Service and Indian people do not wish the animals. C \K1 \Yl-<'K! Kl > i ( xnlmued on page 4 b I R. D. I . Renfrew, Pa Morgan Horses at Pine Ridge Indian Agency HALF - OR - BETTER MORGAN REGISTRY! (Continued from page 45) Your publication should show an expiration date, or there Proud of Half - Morgan should be an insert to remind one when to renew. Anyway, here is another dollar to apply. (e) The Morgan breed appears to be very prepotent, the half- Your letter of the 19th asks me to discuss the proposal of a Morgan as a rule showing definitely the characteristics of the part-Morgan registry. My opinion depends on how the matter Morgan sire. In comparison with other breeds, we are not able is handled—it could be so messy that it would disgrace the to reach a conclusion just yet because of the comparatively short Breed. time that the Morgans have been in the area. The half-Morgan Properly handled, my vote is in favor of a HALF-OR-BET- colts show a distinct tendency toward the Morgan type whatever TER REGISTRY FOR MORGANS! the mare may have been. Of course, a draft mare influences the Out here in Kansas, we have been through the usual agitation conformation definitely in terms of size and build. When crossed to prohibit the use of anything but registered stallions for public on the light-weight mare the colts are trim and appear to be en­ service but this is still a free country so our State Board of Agri­ tirely able to meet the conditions of the range country. Several culture issues licenses to PURE-BRED, to GRADE, and to two-year olds are being used by children for riding horses. The SCRUB stallions. There is no confusion, because each class of Indians appear to have a great deal of pride in these half-Morgans license is on paper of a different color, and because the class of and will take every opportunity to point out this fact, naming the license is stated in type that is so many times larger than the the sire and showing off the good qualities of the young animal. general wording that the class of the license completely domi­ The half-Morgan appears to be easily broken to ride or drive, nates the page. The Law requires that the license must be plainly which is not always the case with some of the other breeds in posted where those interested may see it, and the customers buy this area. what they please. Half - Morgan Register Valuable Half - Bred More Valuable (f) It is, of course, conjectural what results would follow if A birth certificate is desirable for either man or beast. If a a half-Morgan registry were established. Speaking for and in HALF-OR-BETTER registry is properly handled, it will help behalf of Indians, I should predict that a good many Indians to make the sellers of Morgans as honest as the horses. If a would avail themselves of the opportunity for registration of the prospective buyer likes a horse, he will usually pay more for a half-Morgan colts, particularly if the registration rate were not recorded half-bred than for one that is not recorded, and he will too high. It would appear that such registry would have a direct pay more for a three-quarter Morgan than for a half Morgan, benefit to the people in their area who arc breeding Morgans. and more for a seven-eighths than for a three-quarter. Certainly such certificate would establish the identity of the ani­ For the protection of the amateurs, all certificates of pedigree mal, giving proof rather than mere statement of the breeding. should have a warning something like:—"This pedigree tells It is our opinion that a half-Morgan register, if judiciously you the breeding of the animal but it does not guarantee either handled, would have benefit for some years at least.